General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defense, works with the Standing Committee of the Lang Son Provincial Party Committee

On the afternoon of April 16, a delegation from the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense, led by General Phan Van Giang, Politburo Member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission, and Minister of National Defense had a working session with the Standing Committee of the Lang Son Provincial Party Committee. The session focused on the province’s socio-economic development, Party building efforts, and the strengthening of national defense and security in 2024, as well as the orientations and tasks for 2025. Accompanying the delegation were: Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Member of the Party Central Committee, Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Military Commission, and Deputy Minister of National Defense; Senior Lieutenant General Phung Si Tan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army; Senior Lieutenant General Le Quang Minh, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People’s Army; and leaders of agencies and units under the Ministry of National Defense.

Welcoming and working with the delegation were Mr. Hoang Van Nghiem, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee , Head of the Provincial Delegation of the National Assembly; Mrs.Doan Thi Hau, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee,  Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council; Mr. Ho Tien Thieu, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Canh Toan, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; along with members of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and leaders of several provincial departments and sectors.

At the working session, General Phan Van Giang and the delegates viewed a video report on the results of the implementation of Lang Son province’s socio-economic, defense, security, and foreign affairs development plan for 2024 and the first quarter of 2025.

Accordingly, the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee have focused on effectively implementing Conclusion No. 123 dated January 24, 2025, of the Party Central Committee regarding the Supplementary Socio-Economic Development Project for 2025; and Government Resolution No. 25 dated February 5, 2025, on growth targets for sectors, fields, and localities to ensure the national growth target of 8% or higher for 2025.

The Provincial Party Committee and People's Council issued resolutions, and the Provincial People’s Committee issued implementation plans, setting the economic growth target for 2025 at 8.75%, striving to reach 10.1% under favorable conditions.

The province has promptly supported businesses in resolving difficulties, promoting production and business activities, accelerating public investment disbursement, actively implementing key projects, effectively leveraging local potential and advantages, and attracting many strategic investors to the province. Efforts have also been made to promote administrative reform, digital transformation, foreign affairs, and customs clearance capacity, creating favorable conditions for import-export businesses operating through the province.

In 2024, particularly in the first quarter of 2025, the province's economy has developed comprehensively and synchronously, with the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) increasing by 8.27%, ranking 23rd out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide, and 7th out of 14 provinces in the Northern Midland and Mountainous Region. Total import-export turnover through the province increased by 24%; industrial production grew by 5.22%; and state budget revenue rose by 24.8%.

Party-building and political system development efforts have been emphasized, with the organizational restructuring of Party bodies, Party-affiliated agencies, the Fatherland Front, socio-political organizations, and administrative units at the provincial and district levels now completed.

Defense diplomacy and people-to-people diplomacy have been implemented widely and effectively, helping strengthen relations with the government and people of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China). These efforts have facilitated cross-border exchanges in economics, politics, culture, and society, contributing to building a peaceful, friendly, stable, cooperative, and sustainably developing border region. In particular, Lang Son has closely coordinated with the Ministry of National Defense in directing forces to proactively and effectively prepare for the 9th Vietnam-China Border Defense Friendship Exchange.

During the session, delegates exchanged many views to clarify several aspects of the implementation of socio-economic development plans and the province’s defense, security, and foreign affairs work.

In his speech, General Phan Van Giang praised the achievements of the Party organization, government, people, and armed forces of Lang Son province in recent times. He urged the provincial Party committees and authorities at all levels to continue effectively implementing the resolutions and conclusions of the Party Central Committee on Party building and rectification, in connection with promoting the study and practice of Ho Chi Minh’s ideology, morality, and style, thereby maintaining the people's trust in the Party and government.

He emphasized the determination to fully realize the goals and targets set by the Provincial Party Congress and the 13th National Party Congress. He also stressed the importance of careful preparation of personnel for Party congresses at all levels in the lead-up to the 14th National Party Congress.

General Giang called for continued efforts to build strong, streamlined, efficient, and effective political and social organizations; proper implementation of role model regulations, especially among key officials at all levels; and attention to Party development and the training of cadres, particularly leaders, managers, young officials, women, and ethnic minority cadres, to meet the development and growth needs of the province.

Focus on improving people’s living standards, with continued effective implementation of the Government’s emulation movement “Joining hands to eliminate makeshift and dilapidated houses for the poor” across the province. Attention should be given and favorable conditions created for the construction of defense infrastructure to ensure optimal conditions for training, combat readiness, and strengthening the defensive combat capabilities in the region, meeting the demands of national defense and security tasks.

At the working session, Minister Phan Van Giang directed Viettel Military Industry and Telecoms Group to support Lang Son province with 300 houses for the poor. The Minister expressed confidence that, with its tradition and achieved accomplishments, the Party Committee, authorities, people, and armed forces of Lang Son province would continue to develop robustly in the coming period.

In his speech, Secretary Hoang Van Nghiem affirmed: Building on the achieved results and entering 2025—a year of great significance with many important national events, marking the final year of the 2021–2025 five-year plan and the organization of Party congresses at all levels—the province has shown strong political will. From the very beginning of the year, the entire political system has actively engaged in the comprehensive and decisive implementation of tasks and solutions to realize the socio-economic development plan and state budget estimates for 2025.

The Party Committee and the ethnic people of Lang Son province hope to continue receiving the attention, guidance, support, and favorable conditions from the Party, the State, central ministries and agencies, as well as from Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang and members of the working delegation, so that the province can achieve comprehensive and sustainable development.

On behalf of the provincial leadership, the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee acknowledged and fully embraced the directives given by the Minister of National Defense to focus on effectively leading and directing the achievement of the province’s goals and tasks in socio-economic development, national defense, security, and foreign affairs in the near future.